Community violence interventionists filled the United Methodist Church in Lansing across from the state Capitol Thursday to urge Michigan lawmakers to pass legislation that would send money to groups across the state.
On stage inside the church, Anthony Harris delivered an impromptu call to action for his peers after receiving a shoutout from Live in Peace Movement founder Maurice “Pastor Mo” Hardwick, who Harris credited for saving his life.
“Y’all want to kill people? That’s not it, bro,” Harris said. “Don’t you want to walk the streets without looking over your shoulder wearing that hot ass mask? I’ve been under it too — take off the masks.”
CVI leaders entered the state Capitol building around noon to knock on legislators’ doors to urge the passage of HB 4260 and HB 4261, known as the Public Safety Trust Fund. Those bills would send $1.5 million to the CVI office in the state’s Department of Health and Human Services for grants to local governments.
Hardwick has long been involved in citywide efforts to curb violence. He and other community leaders believe groups like FORCE Detroit, Detroit Peoples Community are saving lives.
Interventionists and their advocates say the funding from the trust fund legislation, as well as a number of other proposals currently being considered as lawmakers negotiate the state budget, isn’t enough to sustain adequate funding for work they say has reduced violent crime in Detroit.
In 2023, $10 million went to organizations such as FORCE Detroit, Detroit 300 and New Era Detroit, which received $700,000 over two years from the city’s pandemic relief funds to address violence in neighborhoods. The city told the groups if they were able to decrease crime, they would be rewarded more money.
Fast forward two years and those groups, the city and police department are all crediting CVI efforts for a reduction in crime.
Data from the city of Detroit shows the city reported 606 nonfatal shootings in 2024 — a 25% decrease from 2023. CVI leaders say they prevented 198 nonfatal shooting incidents and prevented 49 homicides.
Interventionists are trusted community messengers and influential people within neighborhoods who provide an environmental stability for a community, said Roshaun Harris, advocacy director at the Eastside Community Network.
“This work is about the solution to improving the lives of people in our community,” Harris said. “All these issues, violence, lack of good schools or healthcare, environmental stuff we’re dealing with, it’s all connected. We have to be willing to fight for this.”
Last year, the city reported all six CVI groups “achieved reductions in shootings and homicides in their zones that exceeded the citywide average reduction,” between August and October 2024. Detroit reported a 35% average drop in violent crime citywide during that time.
Federal cuts to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Justice Programs depleted about $7 million from statewide agencies, which advocates said Thursday could have gone toward CVI.
The city’s fiscal budget passed earlier this year includes $4.4 million from the city’s general fund for CVI, but state funding for the program’s continuation depends whether both state legislative chambers will agree on spending bills.
District 7 Councilman and mayoral candidate, Fred Durhal III, who was part of the program’s creation, helped add $3 million for CVI from the city’s general fund to support adding two groups on the city’s east side. He urged other council members to support the allocation from the city’s general fund for CVI, warning that the state Senate would likely hold up the Public Safety Trust Fund legislation because of a political battle over police accountability measures.
State Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, told CVI advocates inside the church Thursday that Republicans went back on their promise for comprehensive support of CVI across the state, arguing CVI groups deserve more.
“As you are going door to door, talking to House Republicans, I have one question I would encourage you to ask: Why did they cut the funding?” Anthony said. “They can come to Detroit and Flint and Saginaw and Benton Harbor and Battle Creek and tell us that they care about community violence intervention, but yesterday they finally showed us what they actually mean when they say they’re going to do what they say they’re going to do.”
House Republicans approved a $21.9 billion state education proposal Wednesday, which is more than what has been proposed by the Democratic controlled Senate and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer— but with massive changes about how money is spent.
A spokesperson for House Speaker Matt Hall was unable to be reached for comment prior to the publication of this story.
One conservative supporter of CVI is Chad King, the founder of Black Bottom Gun Club. King drove to Lansing to support CVI leaders who he’s built relationships with through his organization that champions Second Amendment rights for Black Americans.
“I absolutely support this, our club has been a coalition partner since the beginning — this is truly important work,” King said.
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